


Get Along or Else

by ivycross



Series: A Series of Horrible (Maybe Not So Horrible) Encounters [4]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Apartment AU, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-04-10 05:23:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4378892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivycross/pseuds/ivycross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five-0 check out their latest case and find that it might be personal.  Also Steve and Danny continue to butt heads and land in the Governor's officer. On top of that Steve's father is just trying to help, although Steve really wishes he wouldn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Get Along or Else

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by [oceania.](http://archiveofourown.org/users/oceania/pseuds/oceania) All mistakes are mine.

Steve stands over the body on the bed, staring in disbelief. Michael Jarlson is laid out in the large bed looking at peace save for the fact that someone has peeled back the skin of his chest and opened up his ribs. White plumeria fills the void where his heart and lungs used to be. His hands are folded over his still intact stomach. Surprisingly, there isn't much blood on the bed. Max stands next to Steve, his face placid.

"It's almost pretty," Max says breaking the silence between them.

Steve slowly looks at him. He likes Max, but sometimes... "Tell me something useful Max"

Max gives a nod and steps up the bed, pointing a gloved hand at the body.  "I can tell you now whoever did this knew what he was doing. The skin is cut cleanly and the breaks in the ribs are neat. Obviously someone familiar with Norse torture practices. This is a variation of the Blood Eagle, named for the way the ribs are spread resemble an eagle's wings, although it was more often done from the back. Actually, there is much speculation as to whether this was a true practice or some kind of misinterpretation or myth─

“Is this some kind of ritual killing, Max?”

The ME purses his lips at the interruption. “A Possibility. The flowers in the chest cavity could hold some significance."

Steve rubs his face, “Anything else?”

“Yes.” Max points at the body's face. “Dead bodies don’t normally have rosy cheeks but as you can clearly see…”

Steve huffs impatiently. “And?”

“I can't say for certain until we get the toxicology report back, but I am almost positive that the victim was poisoned with cyanide.”

“Cyanide?” Steve asks.

“Yes. I am of course going by what I can see, but cyanide leaves the skin a ruddy color, due to the increased oxygen in the blood. It also makes the blood brighter in color for the same reasons. I'm sure that once we run tests they will come back conclusive.”

Steve places his hands on his hips and nods. "Alright. Manalo, Max." He steps out of the room and finds Chin waiting for him.

"Pretty picture huh?

“Max seems to think so. He also thinks the vic may have been poisoned, possibly with cyanide. What'd you and Kono find?" They move down the stairs. All around them, uniformed officers hustle about.

Chin shakes his head. "Not much. No sign of forced entry, no evidence of a struggle. We can't even find where Jarlson was killed because it wasn't in that bed."

“No,” Steve agrees. “Not enough blood."

Chin nods.  "Kono did find an empty glass and an open bottle of amaretto in the study."

“That's it?"

"So far. Sorry Brah," Chin says clapping a hand on Steve's shoulder. Steve gives a nod and watches as Chin goes to ask some questions of the officers in the next room.

Steve is no stranger to brutality. But what's upstairs worries him. What could drive someone to commit murder and defile the body so violently?

On his way to find Kono, he hears a familiar voice.  He looks toward the front door and sees his neighbor Danny Williams, hands on his hips and frowning as an officer fills him on what is happening. Next to him is another man in tan pants who peers around the scene.

Steve sighs as he moves towards them. Danny’s eyes lock on him and widen. In this light, they're ridiculously blue. Steve groans. Why did his brain notice that? "Danny? What are you doing here?"

Danny purses his lips whipping out a badge. "HPD. Homicide. What are you doing here?"

Steve taps the badge on his TAC vest. "Five-0."

"Of course," Danny mutters under his breath. The man beside him taps his shoulder nodding at Steve. Danny glances at him and points to Steve. "My neighbor."

The man grins broadly. "Yo spiderman," he says.

Steve jaw tightens when sees Danny smirk. “Excuse me?” He glares hard at the man, who holds his stare.

Danny waves his hands, pulling Steve's attention back to him. “Don't mind him. He has no manners.” He's still smiling when he says it and Steve knows he's the one being mocked. “Meka, this is my neighbor, who I have told you about. Steve, this is my partner, Meka.”

“Nice to meet cha, Brah,” Meka says holding out a hand.

Steve thinks to ignore it, but he takes it briefly. “Likewise,” he says rather coldly. He's still glaring.

Meka pulls back his hand and looks at Danny. “Just like you said, man.” Steve starts to ask him just what he meant by that when Chin pulls him aside.

“Hey, Steve. I think you'll wanna come see this─” He stops when he sees Danny and Meka. He grins. “Meka! Howzit Bruddah?”

“Chin!” Meka pushes forward and engages with Chin in a rather complicated handshake. Steve watches and catches Danny's eye who looks as lost as he is.

“You know each other?” Danny asks.

“Yeah. This Chin Ho Kelly. One of the best officers I.A. ever drove off.” He looks at Chin and sees his badge. “To greener pastures too. Five-0? Damn man!” Chin grins and starts to respond, but Steve has heard enough.

“Chin? You said there was something I should see?” All eyes are back on him and the smile drops from Chin's face as his expression turns serious again.

“Yeah. In the study,” he says. Steve nods and follows Chin down a hall into another room. He can hear Danny and his partner following close behind.

The study looks like something out of a movie with ceiling-high bookshelves, plush green carpet and a large desk made out of Koa wood. The desk though isn't where Steve last saw it. It's been moved at an angle. Kono stands behind it peering at the floor when they walk in. She looks up, her face a careful mask of professionalism and Steve has to wonder what she's found.

“So one of our boys in HPD saw something sticking out from under the corner of the desk here and went to bag it but couldn't get to it. So we moved the desk a little to make it easier and that's when we saw the first letter of the--” She clears her throat self-consciously, “Message?”

“Message?” Danny pipes in, startling Steve. He has been so focused on Kono and the desk he had forgotten Danny was even there. Kono gives a nod and motions with her hand for the others to come see. They move in closer so that they can see what Kono is indicating.

LT CD SJ MCGARRETT is scrawled on the pale green carpet in red. Blood. It has to be and Steve already knows that when they run the tests it will come back belonging to their victim.

“That─huh, mean anything to anyone?” Danny asks frowning.

Steve looks at him. “Yeah. That's my name.” As he says it, a chill goes down his spine. Someone wanted his attention. Well, they most certainly have it.

Danny is looking at him now. It's a strange thoughtful look. He tilts his head to one side, lips set in a tense line and eyes narrowed. “Why _your_ name?” he asks.

All eyes are on him now and Steve shifts his footing uncomfortably. “I don't know, but I'm sure as hell going to find out!” He turns abruptly from the writing and starts barking orders. He wants pictures, samples, the works.

He storms out of the room before anyone can say another word to him. He ducks into the kitchen to steady himself and refocus. “Steve?” Chin asks, concern and worry clear in his voice. “You okay?”

Steve nods sharply. Of course, he's okay. Why wouldn't he be? But really he's not. An idea is starting to form in his mind about who may be responsible. Judging from Chin's face he has the same idea.

“You're thinking Hesse has something to do with this?”

Steve nods. “Yeah. No one found him after he tried to kill my dad and our sources tell us he's still on the island somewhere. But why kill Jarlson? Did he know him?”

“Yeah. My source at the FBI says that Jarlson and Hesse did a lot of trading in illegal firearms.”

“But why would he kill Jarlson?”

Here Chin shook his head. “Could be anything. We know that Hesse doesn't like loose ends and those that helped him when he escaped wound up dead.”

“Jarlson's just another scumbag that lent a hand and got offed for his troubles,” Steve says. Chin nods. So pinpointing their suspect wasn't as hard as they had first thought. Now they just had to find Hesse. If he was still on the island then maybe this could be wrapped up quickly.

Only this didn't feel like Hesse. Steve knew Victor Hesse. He had tracked the man and his brother for years and while both men were vicious ruthless killers, they didn't grandstand. All their kills were quick and to the point. But if this was an act of vengeance maybe Hesse would step outside his norm. He certainly had when he took Steve's father hostage and tried to use him as a bargaining chip for the return of his brother.

“Steve?”

“Yeah?” Steve blinks, unaware that Chin had been trying to get his attention. Chin is clearly concerned and Steve instantly takes a step back, his legs trembling slightly.

“You went somewhere else for a moment,” Chin says his voice way too gentle for Steve's liking.

“I'm good.” Steve likes that Chin never pushes and knows when to leave things alone. “I'm fine,” Steve reiterates, more for his benefit than Chin's.

“Okay,” Chins says. “I think HPD has everything wrapped up here so why don't we grab Kono and head back to HQ?”

“All right. Sounds good. I'll go wait by the truck.” Steve doesn't wait for Chin to reply but strides out of the house in a half run.

Being outside is a vast improvement; the warm sunshine already helping to clear his head. He reaches for his keys unlocking his truck and starts hastily tearing at his TAC vest, the thing feeling too small all of a sudden. Danny is over by his precious Camaro talking to Meka.

He’s not sure what they’re discussing but Danny is animated, nothing new there. Meka seems to be confused and looks around. He spots Steve and points mouthing the word “him?”. Danny nods emphatically and Steve bristles. What bullshit is Danny spewing now?

He ignores the urge to go over and demand to know what they are saying about him. He tosses his vest in the truck and starts to climb in when he hears, ‘Steve, hey Steve!” Danny is trotting over toward him. Great. Just great.

“Hey Steve,” Danny says coming up to him.

“What?” Steve leans back on his truck, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring. It has the desired effect as Danny takes a step back.

“I was gonna say that Meka and I were gonna head back to the station to look into a few things and get back with you and your team. Figured we’d stop by the palace later today.”

“Sounds good, but don't bother coming by. You'll only get in the way.”

“Excuse me?” Danny's skin is flushed and his eyes wide. “Get in the way? Excuse me? You, my friend, have some serious problems with your people skills.” He steps right up to Steve—waving that damned finger. Again.

“I suggest you remove your finger from my face and take a step back,” Steve growls.

“Or what tough guy?”

That's it. Steve grabs Danny's wrist and one swift motion twists his arm up and black. The hiss of pain his neighbor makes is quite satisfying. “Or I'll remove it for you,” Steve says softly. 

Several uniformed officers are watching, along with Danny's partner who stalks over, looking murderous. “Nothing to see here people. Get back to work,” Steve bellows before looking at Danny again. “Have I made my point, Detective Williams.”

Danny gives a sharp nod and Steve lets him go. “Steve? What did you do?” He hears Kono and turns to look, which is why he doesn't see Danny's fist heading right at him.

~*~

Governor Jameson glares from behind her desk. She's a tall, blonde well-manicured woman and as Danny is finding out right then, very imposing. She reminds him of his Aunt Marie back in Jersey. Hell, she reminds him of a good number of women in his family and that's enough to send chills down his spine.

He stands to attention under her stare, his shoulder aching from where the neanderthal beside him tried to rip his arm out of its socket. Danny takes a brief look at Steve, who is at parade rest hands behind his back, chin up, the left side of his face swollen and purple.

A sound from the governor takes his attention away from Steve and back to her. She's standing now, her lips pursed as she leans forward, her hands flat on her desk. “Gentlemen, would either of you care to explain to me what happened?”

Danny bites his lip and holds his tongue. Steve says nothing. The Governor glances from one to the other. “Nothing to say? All right. Then let _me_ say something.” In one fluid motion, she leans back stepping away from her desk. Her heels clack on the floor as she walks around it toward them. “I understand there is some underlying issue between you two, and I want to say that whatever it is; Get over it! Now!”

“Governor, with all due respect ─” Steve starts.

“Commander McGarrett, I strongly suggest you be quiet!” She doesn't raise her voice. She doesn’t need to. The authority is there and Steve shuts his mouth with a snap. Danny remains where he stands, his eyes flicking between them.

“Uh, Your Governorship, I ─”

“I do not care, Detective Williams,” she said cutting him off as well. Danny gives a solemn nod of respect and goes back to being mute. He sees Steve looking at him from the corner of his eye. The governor blows out a sigh and paces before them “I do not care what little problem the two of you are having,” she says. “You know what I care about?”

Both Danny and Steve remain silent, eyes fixed on the floor.

“I care about catching the man who killed Michael Jarlson because as nasty as he was, there is now someone else out there who appears to be worse and they're on _my_ island. That's what I care about. Now I have given specific orders for that person to be caught. I expect them to be obeyed and if the two of you cannot work together to do this? I will take your badges and find people who can. Have I made myself clear?”

Danny nods as does Steve. They are dismissed but Danny notices that Steve holds back. He doesn't stay to find out why. He's sure the guy is going to have him thrown off the case, which at this point would be just fine with him. He doesn't need this kind of stress in his life.

As he clears the door he hears, “Pat, I'm sorry.” Danny turns. Steve has relaxed his stance and is standing before the governor like a chastised child.

She looks at him shaking her head, “I know Steve, but I need you on this one. Detective Williams is very good at what he does, so trust him all right?” Steve lowers his head and grumbles something that Danny can't hear.

Governor Jameson sighs. “Oh, Steve. What are we going to do with you?”

Danny turns back around and hurries out of the building before anyone spots him eavesdropping.

~*~

Steve frowns into his Pad Thai, not so much eating it as poking at it with his chopsticks. He returned to HQ to find Chin and Kono had bought lunch and he owes Kono ten dollars. They are now in his office, the food laid out on his desk.

“Don't pick at your food,” Kono says with a mouthful of drunken noodle. Steve smiles a little and blows a weak raspberry at her. She retaliates by tossing a dumpling which he catches and eats. Chin looks on, shaking his head.

His expression turns serious as he looks at Steve. “What did the Governor say?”

Setting down his remaining lunch and swallowing the dumpling Steve sighs. “She told me to trust Danny. That's he's good at what he does.”

“That's it?” Kono asks.

“No. She told us to get along and solve this murder or else.”

“Harsh,” Kono says.

“I wouldn't say that Cuz,” Chin adds. Steve looks at him and sees Chin's stern expression. “Steve, you attacked that guy. In broad daylight in front of half the force. What were you thinking?”

“I...” What had he been thinking? That Danny was annoying, loud, wore his shirts too tight and had his finger in his face. Again. “I don't know,” Steve answers slumping down into his chair. Chin grunts but once more doesn't press the issue. His stare is enough to tell Steve that his answer doesn't cut it and he should know better. “He just so annoying” Steve adds.

He watches as the cousins share a look. It makes Steve wonder what it must be like to share a telepathic link. “So what?” Kono asks. “You've dealt with annoying people before. What is it about this guy that gets under your skin? And don't mention your spider because I think the issue lies elsewhere.”

Steve doesn't roll his eyes but it's a close thing. Instead, he reaches for his takeaway box to pick at his food some more when his phone rings “McGarrett,” he answers without looking the screen to see who it is.

_Steve. How you doing son?_

“Hey, dad. I'm fine. You?”

_I'm great. Hey listen, what are you doing tonight?_

“Tonight?” He looks to Chin and Kono, they appear far too interested in his answer to be of any help. “I don't know Dad. Why?”

_I want you come over for dinner tonight and meet a friend of mine. Her name is Marilyn. I met her down at the library._

He relaxes a bit. “Oh sure, Dad. What time?”

_Six. Oh, and wear something nice because she's bringing her niece. She's about your age and we both think the two of you would get along great._

Steve groans. Not again. This would be the fourth time his father has tried to set him up like this. And the man wonders why he avoids coming to the house. “Hey Dad, that sounds nice but it looks like we just got a case in and ─”

_Steven._

“Yes Sir”

_I know that you're busy, but it will not kill you to come by have dinner with your father and some people._

No, Sir”

 _You work too hard and honestly, I'm worried about you. You don't seem to get out and meet people. What am I supposed to do? Watch my only son grow old alone. And Grand-kids Steve. What about that?_ Steve slumps into his chair further and tries not to choke on the embarrassment rising up from his stomach.

_I know what this is about._

“You do?” Steve asks weakly.

 _It's the whole thing about you liking boys too, right?_ Oh god. Steve shuts his eyes and tries to will the battery on his phone to die. 

_She has a son, you know. Not a bad looking fellow either. How about she brings him instead?_

Now Steve wishes the floor would open up and swallow him whole “Dad I really don't ─

_I know. I'll have her bring 'em both. That sounds fair. Now remember to be here at six. Actually, come early and we can talk. Oh, and bring a dessert._

Steve shuts his eyes, deflating. There's no winning here. “Yes, Sir”

_Good. Tell Chin and Kono I said hi._

“Will do.” Steve hangs up as he opens his eyes and tosses his phone on his desk. His face feels hot and he thinks his stomach is trying to push up his meal. He turns to Chin and Kono, not bothering to sit up. “Dad says hi.”

“Yay, Uncle John. How is he?” Kono chirps

“Yes, how is your father?” Chin asks

Steve slaps on an overly cheery grin. “He's great. He's met some lady at the library and he's having her over for dinner.”

“That's nice,” Chin says

“He wants me to come too so I can meet her niece and her son.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Steve says the grin dropping back to a frown.

“It's good that he's finally starting to get his head around you being bi,” Kono says.

Steve sits up indignantly. “Well, I should hope so. It's only been what? Seventeen years since he found out.” Before promptly shipping Steve off to military school on the mainland. Way to overreact Dad!

“Hey,” Chin says, his tone soothing. “A lot has happened since then. Cut your old man some slack. He's trying.”

Steve slumps down again and sulks. He did have to give his father that much. When Steve had come home after almost losing his father to Hesse, the two of them have tried to rebuild their relationship. The result is that his father had gone from being stern and emotionally distant to being too involved and hassling his son about getting married.

“He wants grandkids,” he says pouting.

“Ouch,” Chin and Kono say in unison. Steve nods.

“You want us to come with?” Kono asks.

“Yeah,” Chin adds. “We can be a distraction while you slip out the back.”

Steve looks at them hope flaring up. “Really?”

“No,” Kono says. She and Chin both grin at him, all dimples and high cheekbones. They rise from the couch and start toward the door.

“You're both fired,” Steve says glaring at them.

“You can't fire us, Brah. We work for the State,” Chins says grinning.

“Yeah. Besides we bought you lunch,” Kono adds before they both duck out of his office. Steve brings his hands to his face and fights the urge to scream. He does wince as he presses too hard on the left side.

Stupid Danny, stupid Dad, stupid day. This was a nightmare of a day paired with an ugly case. Well, he couldn't do anything about his father or his neighbor, but he could do something about the case. That should be the priority here. Everything else could wait.

He rises from his chair and calls out to Chin and Kono. “I'm stepping out for a bit. I'll be right back.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hooray! Plot! XD
> 
> Comments, questions, feedback, etc. are always welcome and come say hi to me over on [Tumblr](http://ivycross.tumblr.com/) if wanna.


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